Chapter 49: Chapter 49
“Huang Jiuyuan is back?”
Li Suifeng raised an eyebrow at Zhu Dachang’s report.
He’d already pieced together a fair picture of the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers from Lin Zhixu and Crow’s intelligence.
He’d known from the start that Lin Zhixu’s master had been placed under house arrest. Huang Jiuyuan walking into that situation was asking to be detained at best.
Yet here the old man was, back in Nanyang.
“He didn’t come alone. Two Valley disciples are with him. They’re at the branch now.”
Zhu Dachang lowered his voice.
“They went to see Miss Lin first. And that male disciple from the Valley… he seems to have designs on her.”
Hm?
Li Suifeng’s brow creased.
“The Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers has male disciples?”
“They don’t recruit men,” Zhu Dachang explained. “But with that many female disciples, some of them inevitably have children. The boys are raised within the sect.”
“They just can’t cultivate the Valley’s core arts.”
“Let’s go.”
Li Suifeng flicked his sleeve and strode toward the branch.
…
Nanyang Branch.
Lin Zhixu’s courtyard.
Several strangers had appeared — two veiled women standing guard outside the gate.
“Zhixu — don’t tell me that little thug actually laid hands on you?”
Chen Dao stared at the woman before him, now more alluring and womanly than ever. His teeth were grinding to powder.
He’d set his sights on Lin Zhixu the day a teenage girl had first walked through the Valley’s gates. She’d been his obsession — his private claim — ever since.
But Lin Zhixu’s master was a fifth-rank elder who doted on her pupil. He’d never found an opening.
Now that the Valley and Righteous Manor had allied and Lin Zhixu’s master, Elder Lin Su, had been placed under house arrest, Chen Dao smelled opportunity. He’d traveled all the way to this backwater specifically for her.
One look told him everything.
Only a woman who’d been with a man carried that kind of allure.
Someone had touched what was his. That someone would die.
In an instant, murderous intent blazed behind Chen Dao’s eyes.
“Chen Dao — don’t do anything reckless.”
Lin Zhixu’s voice was sharp.
A thread of worry ran through her. She knew exactly who Chen Dao was — the illegitimate son of Elder Ji, one of the Valley’s fifth-rank powerhouses. Though he couldn’t practice the Valley’s signature arts, Elder Ji had spared no expense on his education. He’d reached early seventh-rank.
If Chen Dao clashed with Li Suifeng, Elder Ji’s wrath would follow.
Li Suifeng was strong, but a fifth-rank elder was on another level entirely.
The Valley had already allied with Righteous Manor. A clash with the Canal Gang was inevitable. If Elder Ji took a personal grudge against Li Suifeng on top of that, he’d be in real danger.
“Heh. Lin Zhixu — you’re still a Valley disciple. Unmarried. And already speaking up for your man?”
A sultry-voiced woman in the courtyard snorted. “Young Master Chen has been devoted to you for years, and you throw yourself at some Canal Gang thug.”
“Do you even understand what the Valley and the Canal Gang are becoming?”
“Enough.” Chen Dao masked his killing intent behind a warm smile. “Zhixu — come back to the Valley with me.”
“Ba Hu is dead. Your father’s death is avenged. Elder Lin misses you terribly. Don’t make things difficult for her.”
“Indeed. Li Suifeng is not a good match.” Huang Jiuyuan stood off to the side, adding his voice. “In just a few months, the man has stirred up more trouble than most people see in a lifetime. He has no foundation in the Canal Gang, and he’s already crossed half of Nanzhou’s factions. There’s no future in it. Come back to the Valley. Let Elder Lin decide.”
“It’s only been a few days — don’t tell me you’ve actually developed feelings for the boy, Zhixu?” Su Qian needled from the side, her voice dripping with acid.
She had her own history with Chen Dao — but to him, she was nothing more than a receptacle. He’d even made her disguise herself as Lin Zhixu during their encounters. How could she not seethe?
…
Meanwhile.
Li Suifeng arrived at the branch with Zhu Dachang.
“Boss Li — those people are still in Miss Lin’s courtyard.” Wen Bubao came to meet him, speaking low.
“Let’s see what they want.”
Li Suifeng led the way. Zhu Dachang and Wen Bubao fell in behind.
They’d barely reached Lin Zhixu’s courtyard when—
“Halt!”
Two sabers crossed in front of Li Suifeng. The wielders were the veiled women.
Before Li Suifeng could speak, a flash of sword-light streaked past — Zhu Dachang had drawn.
A spear-thrust followed, driving at both women. Wen Bubao.
“Two bitches — don’t you know whose ground you’re standing on?” Wen Bubao barked.
He still carried Li Suifeng’s talisman in his body. He had no desire to experience that agony again.
PFFT! PFFT!
Both women were only eighth-rank. A single exchange sent them crashing into the courtyard wall, blood at their lips.
Their veils fell away.
“Decent bodies, but the faces — a couple of old onions.” Wen Bubao sneered.
Two eighth-rank fighters. Blocking their path. In their own headquarters.
“Stop!”
Huang Jiuyuan emerged from the courtyard. Seeing Chen Dao’s two guards on the ground, his expression went dark.
“Li Suifeng — do you know what you’re doing?”
He stepped up to Li Suifeng, jabbing a finger at his face.
“They’re Young Master Chen’s guards! His mother is a Valley Elder — a fifth-rank master!”
CRACK.
A crisp slap rang out.
Huang Jiuyuan’s body sailed through the air, covering three or four meters before hitting the ground hard.
Even Zhu Dachang and Wen Bubao, standing right beside Li Suifeng, hadn’t seen his hand move.
PFFT!
A mouthful of blood — laced with teeth — sprayed from Huang Jiuyuan’s mouth.
Disbelief consumed his face. A fifth-rank elder behind Chen Dao — and Li Suifeng had still struck first?
“You—”
Huang Jiuyuan tried to speak.
CRACK.
Wen Bubao’s spear shaft cracked across Huang Jiuyuan’s face.
“Pah!”
“You ungrateful dog! If Boss Li hadn’t saved you, your grave would be overgrown by now! And you dare bark at him?”
Wen Bubao had fully committed at this point. He carried the Life-Death Talisman. And judging by Li Suifeng’s demonstrated power, the man had backing that ran far deeper than it appeared.
He was betting that the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers couldn’t touch Li Suifeng.
Huang Jiuyuan’s remaining teeth scattered across the flagstones.
“Ahh bah bah…”
Blood poured from his mouth. Whatever he was trying to say was lost in the gurgling.
“Impressive — truly worthy of the Human Rankings. Plenty of arrogance to match.”
A light laugh carried from inside the courtyard.
Chen Dao emerged, flanked by a white-haired old woman. Su Qian followed, with Lin Zhixu and Willow behind them.
Lin Zhixu and Willow wore matching expressions of worry.
“Too bad — the Rankings won’t be updated in time. Because you’re about to die.”